Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T19:11:21.832Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Relationships of Family and Classroom Environments with Peer Relational Victimization: An Analysis of their Gender Differences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

María Jesús Cava ,
Gonzalo Musitu ,
Sofia Buelga  and
Sergio Murgui
María Jesús Cava*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
Gonzalo Musitu
Affiliation:
Universidad Pablo de Olavide (Spain)
Sofia Buelga
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
Sergio Murgui
Affiliation:
Universidad Católica de Valencia (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to María Jesús Cava. Departamento de Psicologia Social. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Valencia. Avda. Blasco Ibañez, 21. 46010 Valencia. (Spain). Phone: +34-963983492. Fax:+34-96386 4668. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationships of adolescents' perceptions of their family and classroom environments with peer relational victimization, taking into account that these relationships could be mediated by adolescents' self-esteem, feelings of loneliness, and sociometric status. These relationships, and their possible gender differences, were analyzed in a sample of 1319 Spanish adolescents (48% boys and 52% girls), ages 11 to 16 years (M = 13.7, SD = 1.5). A structural equation modeling was calculated for boys and girls separately. The findings suggested that the adolescents' self-esteem, loneliness, and sociometric status had a significant direct effect on peer relational victimization for boys, and adolescents' loneliness and sociometric status for girls. Their perceptions of family and classroom environments had a significant indirect effect on peer relational victimization for boys and girls, but the paths were different. Overall, findings suggested that a negative classroom environment had a more relevant effect in relational victimization for boys.

Este estudio analiza las relaciones entre las percepciones que los adolescentes tienen de su clima familiar y escolar y la victimización relacional entre iguales, teniendo en cuenta que estas relaciones pueden estar mediadas por la autoestima, los sentimientos de soledad y el estatus sociométrico de los adolescentes. Estas relaciones, y sus posibles diferencias de género, fueron analizadas en una muestra de 1319 adolescentes españoles (48% chicos y 52% chicas) con edades comprendidas entre los 11 y los 16 años (M = 13.7, DT = 1.5). Un mismo modelo de ecuaciones estructurales fue calculado de forma separada para chicos y chicas. Los resultados sugirieron efectos directos significativos de la autoestima, la soledad y el estatus sociométrico de los adolescentes en la victimización relacional para los chicos, y de la soledad y el estatus sociométrico para las chicas. Las percepciones de los adolescentes del clima familiar y del clima escolar mostraron efectos indirectos significativos en la victimización relacional para chicos y chicas, pero las trayectorias eran diferentes. En general, los resultados sugirieron que para los chicos un clima escolar negativo tenía un efecto más relevante en la victimización relacional.

Keywords

family environmentclassroom environmentpeer relational victimizationgender differencesambiente famililarambiente escolarvictimización relacional entre igualesdiferencias por género
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , May 2010 , pp. 156 - 165
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Archer, J.& Cote, S. (2005). Sex differences in aggressive behavior: A developmental and evolutionary perspective. In Tremplay, RE, Hartup, WW, Archer, J. (Eds.), Developmental origins of aggression. New York: Guilford Press, pp. 425–443.Google Scholar
Archer, J.& Coyne, S. M. (2005). An integrated review of indirect, relational, and social aggression. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 9(3), 212–230.Google Scholar
Baños, R., & Guillen, V. (2000). Psychometric characteristics in normal and social phobic samples for a Spanish version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Psychological Reports, 87(1), 269–274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barth, J. M., Dunlap, S. T., Dane, H., Lochman, J. E., & Wells, K. C. (2004). Classroom environment influences on aggression, peer relations, and academic focus. Journal of School Psychology, 42, 115–133.Google Scholar
Bentler, P. M. (1995). EQS structural equations program manual. Encino, CA: Multivariate Software.Google Scholar
Blum, J., Ireland, M., & Blum, R. W. (2003). Gender differences in juvenile violence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 32, 234–240.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boivin, M., Hymel, S., & Bukowski, W. M. (1995). The roles of social withdrawal, peer rejection, and victimization by peers in predicting loneliness and depressed mood in children. Development and Psychopathology, 7, 765–786.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, M. J. (1999) Concurrent and longitudinal relations between children's playground behavior and social preference, victimization, and bullying. Child Development, 70, 944–954.Google Scholar
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977) Toward an ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32, 513–531.Google Scholar
Card, N. A., Stucky, B. D., Sawalani, G. M., & Little, T. D. (2008). Direct and indirect aggression during childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic review of gender differences, intercorrelations, and relations to maladjustment. Child Development, 79(5), 1185–1229.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cava, M. J., & Musitu, G. (1999). La integración escolar: un análisis en función del sexo y el curso académico de los alumnos. Revista Española de Orientación y Psicopedagogía. 10(18), 297–314.Google Scholar
Cava, M. J., Musitu, G., & Murgui, S. (2007). Individual and social risk factors related to overt victimization in a sample of Spanish adolescents. Psychological Reports, 101, 275–290.Google Scholar
Coie, J. D., Dodge, K. A., & Coppotelli, H. (1982). Dimensions and types of social status: a cross-age perspective. Developmental Psychology, 18(4), 557–570.Google Scholar
Crick, N. R., & Bigbee, M. A. (1998). Relational and overt forms of peer victimization: A multi-informant approach. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 337–347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development, 66, 710–722.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1996). Children's treatment by peers: Victims of relational and overt aggression. Development and Psychopathology, 8, 367–380.Google Scholar
Crick, N. R., Casas, J. F., & Nelson, D. A. (2002). Toward a more comprehensive understanding of peer maltreatment: Studies of relational victimization. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(3), 98–101.Google Scholar
Darling, N.& Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487–496.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Del Rey, R.& Ortega, R. (2008). Bullying in poor countries: Prevalence and coexistence with other forms of violence. International Journal of Psycholgy and Psychological Therapy, 8(1), 39–50.Google Scholar
Demaray, M. P.& Malecki, C. K. (2002). The relationship between perceived social support and maladjustment for students at risk. Psychology in the Schools, 39, 305–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dempsey, J. P., Fireman, G. D., & Wang, E. (2006). Transitioning out of peer victimization in school children: Gender and behavioral characteristics. Journal of Psychopathology and behavioral assessment, 28(4), 273–282.Google Scholar
Dodge, K. A.& Feldman, E. (1990). Issues in social cognition and sociometric status. In Asher, S. R. & Coie, J. D. (Eds.), Peer rejection in childhood. New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Echeburua, E. (1995). Manual práctico de evaluación y tratamiento de la fobia social. Barcelona: Martínez Roca.Google Scholar
Egan, S. K., & Perry, D. G. (1998). Does low self-regard invite victimization? Developmental Psychology, 34(2), 299–309.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eslea, M., Menesini, E., Morita, Y., O'Moore, M., Mora-Merchan, J. A., Pereira, B., & Smith, P. K. (2004). Friendship and loneliness among bullies and victims: data from seven countries. Aggressive Behavior, 30(1), 71–83.Google Scholar
Estevez, E., Emler, N., & Musitu, G. (2007). Adjustment problems in the family and school contexts, attitude towards authority and violent behaviour at school in adolescence. Adolescence, 42, 779–794.Google Scholar
Estevez, E., Murgui, S., Musitu, G.& Moreno, D. (2008). Adolescent aggression: Effects of gender and family school environment. Journal of Adolescence, 31, 433–450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Exposito, F., & Moya, M. C. (1999). Soledad y apoyo social. Revista de Psicología Social, 2–3, 319–339.Google Scholar
Fernández-Ballesteros, R., & Sierra, B. (1989). Escalas de Clima Social FES, WES, CIES y CES. Madrid: TEA.Google Scholar
Fox, C. L., & Boulton, M. J. (2006). Frienship as a moderator of the relationship between social skills problems and peer victimization. Aggressive Behavior, 32, 110–121.Google Scholar
Garandeau, C. F., & Cillesen, A. H. N. (2006). From indirect aggression to invisible aggression: A conceptual view on bullying and peer group manipulation. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11, 612–625.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gázquez, J. J., Cangas, A. J., Pérez, M. C., & Lucas, F. (2008). Comparative analysis of the perception of school violence in teachers, pupils, and families. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 11(2), 443–452.Google Scholar
Ge, X., Conger, R. D., & Elder, G. H. (1996). Coming of age too early: Pubertal influences on girls' vulnerability to psychological distress. Child Development, 67, 3386–3400.Google Scholar
Gini, G., Albiero, P., Benelli, B., & Altoè, G. (2008). Determinants of adolescents' active defending and passive bystanding behavior in bullying. Journal of Adolescence, 31, 93–105.Google Scholar
Hartshorne, T. S. (1993). Psychometric properties and confirmatory factor-analysis of the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 61, 182–195.Google Scholar
Hawker, D. S. J.& Boulton, M. J. (2000). Twenty years' research on peer victimization and psychosocial maladjustment: a meta-analytic review of cross-sectional studies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41, 441–455.Google Scholar
Hodges, E. V. E., & Perry, D. G. (1999). Personal and interpersonal antecedents and consequences of victimization by peers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 677–685.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hodges, E. V. E., Malone, M. J., & Perry, D. G. (1997). Individual risk and social risk as interacting determinants of victimization in the peer group. Developmental Psychology, 33, 1032–1039.Google Scholar
Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jiang, X. L., & Cillesen, A. H. N. (2005). Stability of continuous measures of sociometric status: a meta-analysis. Developmental Review, 25(1), 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, H. D., LaVoie, J. C., & Mahoney, M. (2001). Interparental conflict and family cohesion predictors of loneliness, social anxiety, and social avoidance in late adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Research, 16(3), 304–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, H. D., LaVoie, J. C., Spenceri, M. C., & Mahoney-Wernli, M. A. (2001). Peer conflict avoidance: associations with loneliness, social anxiety, and social avoidance. Psychological Reports, 88, 227–235.Google Scholar
Ladd, G. W., & Troop-Gordon, W. (2003) The role of chronic peer difficulties in the development of children's psychological adjustment problems. Child Development, 74(5), 1344–1367.Google Scholar
Larose, S., & Boivin, M. (1998). Attachment to parents, social support expectations, and socioemotional adjustment during the high school-college transition. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 8(1), 1–27.Google Scholar
Lewin, K. (1936) Principles of topological psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill.Lucia, V. C., & Breslau, N. (2006).Google Scholar
Family cohesion and children's behavior problems: a longitudinal investigation. Psychiatry Research, 141(2), 141–149.Google Scholar
Maccoby, E. E.& Martin, J. A. (1983). Socialization in the context of the family: parent-child interaction. In Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4, pp. 1–101), Mussen, P.H. (Ed.). New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Martin, K. M.& Huebner, E. S. (2007). Peer victimization and prosocial experiences and emotional well-being of middle school students. Psychology in the Schools, 44(2), 199–207.Google Scholar
Marturano, E. M., Ferrerira, M. D. T., & Bacarji, K. M. G. (2005) An evalution scale of family environment for identification of children at risk of school failure. Psychological Reports, 96(2), 307–321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meece, J. L., Anderman, E. M., & Anderman, L. H. (2006) Classroom goal structure, student motivation, and academic achievement. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 487–503.Google Scholar
Moos, R. H., & Moos, B. S. (1981). Family Environment Scale manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologist Press.Google Scholar
Moos, R. H., & Trickett, E. J. (1973). Classroom Environment Scale manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologist Press.Google Scholar
Musitu, G., Buelga, S., Lila, M., & Cava, M. J. (2001). Familia y adolescencia. Madrid: Síntesis.Google Scholar
Musitu, G.& García, F. (2004). Consecuencias de la socialización familiar en la cultura española. Psicothema, 16(2), 288–293.Google Scholar
Mynard, H., & Joseph, S. (2000). Development of the multidimensional peer-victimization scale. Aggressive Behavior, 26, 169–178.3.0.CO;2-A>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pastor, Y., Balaguer, I., & García-Mérita, M. L. (2003). El autoconcepto y la autoestima en la adolescencia media: análisis diferencial por curso y género. Revista de Psicología Social, 18(2), 141–159.Google Scholar
Pellegrini, A.D., Bartini, M., & Brooks, F. (1999). School bullies, victims, and aggressive victims: Factors relating to group affiliation and victimization in early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(2), 216–224.Google Scholar
Pierce, G. R., Sarason, I. G., & Sarason, B. R. (1991). General and relationship-based perceptions of social support -are 2 constructs better than one. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(6), 1028–1039.Google Scholar
Prinstein, M. J., Boergers, J.& Vernberg, E. M. (2001). Overt and relational aggression in adolescents: Social-pychological adjustment of aggressors and victims. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 479–491.Google Scholar
Putallaz, M., Grimes, C. L., Foster, K. J., Kupersmidt, J. B., Coie, J. D., & Dearing, K. (2007). Overt and relational aggression and victimization: Multiple perspectives within school setting. Journal of School Psychology, 45(5), 523–547.Google Scholar
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univer. Press.Google Scholar
Russell, D. W. (1996). UCLA Loneliness scale (version 3): reliability, validity, and factor structure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 66, 20–40.Google Scholar
Salmivalli, C., & Isaacs, J. (2005). Prospective relations among victimization, rejection, friendlessness, and children's self-and peer-perceptions. Child Development, 76(6), 1161–1171.Google Scholar
Schwartz, D., Gorman, A. H., Nakamoto, J., & Toblin, R. L. (2005). Victimization in the peer group and children's academic functioning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97(3), 425–435.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Storch, E. A.& Masia-Warner, C. (2004). The relationship of peer victimization to social anxiety and loneliness in adolescent females. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 351–362.Google Scholar
Terry, R. (2000). Recent advances in measurement theory and the use of sociometric techniques. In Cillesen, A. H. N & Bukowski, W. M. (Eds.), Recent advances in the measurment of acceptance and rejection in the peer system. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pp.75–93.Google Scholar
Underwood, M. (2003). Social aggression among girls. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar